Apr 18 2009
The Essence of Summer - Peach Bellinis
Just imagine. . .the year is somewhere between 1934 and 1948, before many of us were born. It’s summer. You’re on vacation somewhere in Venice, Italy. While exploring the winding streets, you’ve wandered into Harry’s Bar to cool off.
As you climb onto a bar stool, the scent of Cuban cigars, malt whiskey and fresh summer peaches fills the air. As your eyes adjust from the bright sunlight outside to the dimly lit bar, you’re surprised to see faces that you’ve seen on book jackets back in the bookstore in your home town in America. Down at the end of the bar, Ernest Hemingway is discussing his latest escapade with Sinclair Lewis. Orson Wells is sitting at the bar, just a few stools down from you, talking with owner Giuseppe Cipriani, as he mixes a peach colored nectar with a sparkling wine.
When he hands it to Orson, you know you just have to try the frothy icy pink drink whose fragrance of freshly-picked peaches floats through the air towards you. Giuseppe nods and mixes another. As Giuseppe places the drink in front of you, he explains that he calls it a Bellini because it reminds him of the vibrant pink color of the toga worn by a saint in a 15th century painting by Giovanni Bellini.
Now, you no longer have to imagine. You can relive that long ago summer day in your own home or on your patio with friends. Making your own Peach Bellini is as easy as mixing the peach bellini mix with your favorite sparkling wine or champagne. And you, too, can enjoy the fruity fresh flavor experienced by those who were lucky enough to visit Harry’s Venice Bar during that long ago time in a far away place.
